Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-01-01

kindled easily. Consequently she said, icily:
II found him gentleman"
CHAPTER XIV.
HOW IT BECAME UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
The closing Of the - congress was not un-
like the closing of the several preceding con-
eresses. There was the same unbuhnsss-lks,
impractical haste; the Same hurried, un5uss
and utterly inadequate adjustment Of unfin-
ihsd, ill-digested business, that would not have
been tolerated for moment BY the sovereign
people in any private interest they con-
troled. There were frauds rushed through;
there were long suffering, righteous demands
shslved; there were honest, unpaid debts dis
honored by scant appropriations; there were
closing scenes which only the saving sense of
American humor kept from being utterly
vile. The actors, the legislators themselves,
knew 1t, and laughed at IT.; the commentators,
the press, knew it and laughed at It; tho
audience, the great American people. knew 1t
and laughed at it. And nobody for an In
slant conceived that it ever, under any cir
cumstances, might be otherwise.
The claim Of Roscommon was among the
unfinished business. The claimant himself,
haggard, pathetic, inportune and obstinate,
was among the unfinished business. Various
congressman, more or less Interested in the
success of the claim, were among the unfin-
O. IL from Fresno
who had changed his derringer for speech
against the claimant, was among the unfin-
ished business The gifted Gashwiler, uneasy
in his soul over certain ether unfinished busi-
ness in the shape Of his missing letters, but
dropping oil and honey as he mingled with
his brothers, was king Of mirule and lord OF
the unfinished business. Pretty Mrs. Hopk1n-
son, prudently escorted by her husband, but
imprudently ogled by admiring congressman,
lent the charm Of her presence to the finishing
of unfinished business. One or two editors,
who had dreams Of finished financial busi-
ness, arising out Of unfinished business, were
there also, like ancient bards. to record with
pecan or threnedy the completion Of unfn-
ished business. Various unclean birds, SCENT
ing carrion in unfinished business, lowered in
the halls or roasted in the lobby.
The lower house, under the tutelage Of tho
gifted Gashwiler, drank deeply OF Roscom-
mon and his intoxicating claim, and passed
the half-empty bottle to the senate as unfin-
ished business. But, alasl In the very rush,
and storm, and tempest of the diminishing
business, an unlooked-for interruption arose
in the person Of great senator whose power
none could oppose, whose right to free and
extended utterance at all times none could
painsay. A claim for poultry, violently
seized by the army of Sherman during his
march through Georgia, from the hencoop OF
an alleged loyal Irishman, opened q constitu-
tional question, and with it the lips of the
great senator.
For seven hours he spoke eloquently, earn
estly, convincingly. For seven hours the old
issues of party and policy were ssverauy
taken ND and dismissed in the old forcible rhe-
toric that had early made him famous Inter
ruptions from other senator's, now forgetful
Of unfinished business, and wild with reani-
mated party zeal; Interruptions from certain
senators mindful of unfinished business and
unable to pass the Roscommon bottle, only
spurred him t. fresh exsrtion. The tocsdn
sounded in the senate was heard In the lower
house. Highly excited members oongregated
at the doors of the senate and loft unfinished
business to take care Of ITSELF
Loft to itself for seven hours, unfinished
business gnashed its false teeth and tore its
wig in impotent fury in corridor and hall
For seven hours the gifted Gashwilsr bad con-
tinued the manufacture Of oil and honey,
whose sweetness, however, was slowly palling
upon the congressional lip; for seven hours
Rosconmon and friends beat with impatient
feet the lobby and shook fists, more or les
discolored, at the distinguished senator. For
seven hours the one or two editors were obliged
to it and calmly compliment the great speech
which that night flashed over tho wires of Q
continent with the old electric thrill. And,
worse than all, they were obliged to record
with It the closing Of the - congress, with
moro than the usual amount Of unfinished
business.
A little group of friends surrounded the
oreat senator with hymns Of praise and con-
0TatuIatlOnS. OlO duNelouAAe Aeo oesAuoo~> A-A~>>
courteously as they passed by with the re-
spect of strong mon. A little woman with O
shawl drawn over her shoulders, and held
with one small brown hand, approached him
tmidly:
~ speak not the English well" she said
gently, "but have read much. have read
in tho plays of your Shakespeare would
like to say to you the words OF Rosalind to
Orlando when he did fight: Sir, You have
wrestled well, and have overthrown more
than your enemies" And with these words
she was gone.
Yet not SO quickly but that pretty Mrs.
Hopkinson, coming-as Victrix always comes
to Victor, to thank the great senator, albeit
the faces of her escorts were sS-ouded in
gloom-saw the shawled figure disappear.
"There," she said, pinching Wiles mischiev-
ously, "there! that's the woman you were
afraid Of Look at her. Look at that dress.
All, heavensl look at that shswli Didn't I
tell you she had no stylep
@Who is shel" said Wiles sullenly.
"Carmen de Haro, of course, )" said the lady
vivaoiously. "What are you hurrying away
so fort You're absolutely pulling me along"
Mr. Wiles had inst caught sight of tho
travel-worn face of Royal Thatcher among
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